What are a father's rights to see his child?

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Quick Answer

By law, child custody and visitation rights for fathers are identical to those of mothers in every state. While mothers and fathers are technically equal under the law, About.com notes that fathers' visitation rights can sometimes be harder to exercise and enforce.

While the specifics vary from one state to another, fathers who haven't been found to present a threat to their children have as much right to establish and maintain a relationship with their children as mothers do. According to About.com, this can involve regular phone contact, visitation and direct involvement in making important decisions regarding the children's lives.

One of the most important factors that determines whether or not joint custody will be granted by a family court is the degree to which the parents are able to work together in the perceived interests of the children. To this end, a father who wishes to establish or maintain a regular presence in his children's lives often finds the task much easier to accomplish by reaching out to the children's mother and building a trusting co-parent relationship. As About.com notes, this greatly improves the overall chances of a father being awarded a major role in his children's lives in addition to being good for the children for its own sake.

Related Questions

According to About.com, mothers who have not received child support payments from their children's father may report a deadbeat dad to the child support enforcement office in their state or to the federal Office of Inspector General. Mothers reporting on deadbeat dads should be prepared to provide information regarding the payments due as well as the father's contact information and last known location.

According to California Courts, if the termination of parental rights is granted, the person is no longer deemed the parent of that child and is released of all responsibility of the child, including financial responsibility. If child support was owed prior to termination, those payments are still due.

Pennsylvania visitation rights for the father depend on established paternity and the child's best interests. If a man is established as the legal father, he is granted the same parental rights as the mother, though the right to custody and visitation are not guaranteed, notes Pro Bono Net.

A father is allowed to give up his rights under certain circumstances, but voluntary termination of parental rights is often more difficult than involuntary termination, says FreeAdvice.com. Children are considered to have a right to a parental relationship and a right to financial support and care from their parents.